All we really want in these later years
is more cheers as we become
more grateful for each morning
that we wake up and we just keep hoping
for one more day or one more month
or maybe one more year or maybe two
or three or four because we are not ready
to exit that final door.

It's amazing out there so don't
mind what happens as we all will  
encounter many defeats,
but we will not be defeated
knowing that we can't go back
and start a new beginning
but we can start today
and make a new ending.

Find the courage to embrace dreams,
the strength to sacrifice for them
and the determination to fulfill them
knowing that kindness, beauty,
and truth can show us the way
time after time and give us
the courage to face life
for one more day.

Everybody wants to go to Heaven,
but nobody wants to die
so don't give up and don't give in
because there is always an answer
for everything.

No one lives in perfection
and tomorrow is a new untarnished day
so start it with something good to say
about your stay here and the life
you hold to be so dear.

Realize that nothing will ever change
until your pain of remaining the same
outweighs the pain of changing
so don't let the world bring you
to your knees and start each new day
as you please or it will pass you by
like a warm Summer breeze.        Jon York      2014